Abscisic acid is a naturally occurring plant hormone and a safe, nontoxic substance. The chemistry and physiology of abscisic acid and its analogs is described by Milborrow, Ann. Rev. Plant Physiol. 1974, 25, 259-307. The naturally occurring enantiomeric form of abscisic acid is (S)-(+)-abscisic acid. The stereochemistry of the side chain of the major part of naturally occurring abscisic acid is 2-cis-,4-trans-, since that is the isomer that is produced biosynthetically by all green plants and some microorganisms.
Certain salts of abscisic acid, and/or derivatives and analogs thereof, as described in U.S. application Ser. Nos. 12/011,846, 12/011,825, 61/083,202, 61/083,203 and PCT/US08/01203, however, have demonstrated high concentrations of abscisic acid in their compositions, and are incorporated herein.
Commercial formulations comprising abscisic acid are used in agriculture and horticulture on or around crops and plants for improving stress tolerance, slowing the growth rate, and adjusting flowering phase. Abscisic acid has also been reported to possess insect inhibition qualities. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,434,180 and 4,209,530. Others have reported potential medicinal properties of abscisic acid, for example US patent application No. 2006/0292215 discloses methods of using abscisic acid for anti-cancer purposes, and international application No. WO 2007/042983 discloses anti-inflammatory activity of abscisic acid. Contents of these patents are incorporated by reference.
Here, Applicants have surprisingly discovered that abscisic acid, and/or salts, derivatives and analogs thereof, have pharmaceutical and nutraceutical properties in humans.